Thread: trouble with depth stop

Rotate the collar while tightening the grub screw, so that it lands properly in the flute, particularly for the final squeeze. Should work better that way. On a larger bit, you may be able to land the grub screw on the shank, by the same process.

Don't rely on the depth stop to halt the plunge of the drill; use it to indicate when YOU halt plunging.

Joe

If you use a clamp style stop collar you don't get that problem.



Mike

Hi Bobbyfmax,

I have a similar depth-stop and I have never been able to get the thing to work happily. In short, it's a pain in the proverbial.

So now I reach into my paint stuff and draw out an el-cheapo roll of wide masking tape and with the workshop scissors I cut maybe 6mm of tape from it. This gives me a strip of tape to wrap around and around the drill bit thus indicating to me the depth at which I must stop drilling.

You never drill so deeply that the tape on the drill bit touches the timber; you of course stop drilling just a whisker's width short of making contact.

If I might add one thing it is that my workshop scissors are soooo handy. They cost $2, perhaps $3, plastic handles and all, at the local supermarket. Sharpen them? Don't know how to. When the time comes I shall ditch them and buy another pair.

Kind thoughts,

Kevin

thanx guys
I'll give them all a go. I particularly like the clamp style (have never seen them,) asfor the tape thats what I have always used but I thought I would go upmarket and try the collar. thanx again Bob

I use heat shrink tubing..simple and quick.. just cut it off when finished
les

Any hollow tubing can be used, i even use drinking straws for thin
bits.

Originally Posted by bobbyfmax

Hi all
just bought a haron depth stop for 8ml drill bit ( you know the sort collar with a grub screw) but am having difficulty in setting it. When I tighten it up the collar slips at an angle - screw wants to find its way into the flute. Then obviously when I start the drill it rotates out of kilter. What am I doing wrong?

thanx Bob

You are locating the screw into the flute to start with and not on the outer diameter??

They are crap but can be fiddled into correct position.
I make a number of these but make then out of bronze bar at least 30mm long the exact diameter of the bit I want to use them on and they align perfectly and stay where they are put too. A simple thing to run up on a small metal lathe.


Ross

I use a piece of scrap timber. Just measure how much of the bit extends from the drill chuck, subtract the depth of the desired hole and cut the scrap to that length. Drill through the scrap and you have a depth stop that isn't going to move.

I also am a fan of the timber scrap approach when I use my battery drills - when using a corded drill which has a collar at the chuck I will often use the handle with a depth rod - just ensure that you do keep the drill vertical and you may find that it helps to broaden the end of the rod [shell casing] or add a rubber foot as sometimes the end of the rod can mark very soft timbers - this mark is not always seen until you start to do the finishing process.

I have a collar on the drill type of depth stop but also did not find it very successful to keep perpendicular to the surface and on occasion where it touched the surface it also left unaccepable marks.

Regards,
Bob